


Found You

by sixwingedbee



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Apprentice family, Family, Gen, Nonverbal Communication, Soft platonic family moments, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixwingedbee/pseuds/sixwingedbee
Summary: Ienzo had a bad habit of sneaking away.
Relationships: Braig & Ienzo (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 43





	Found You

When Ienzo went missing during the day, everyone noticed almost immediately. Almost. Sometimes Even wouldn't notice until an hour later that his charge was no longer sitting quietly within the lab, but he noticed. Dilan and Aeleus would notice when they found the two troublesome teens sneaking in through a new way, knowing they must have seen Ienzo come out of it on the other side. 

Ansem noticed when it was brought to his attention after the boy was brought back. 

Whether or not Braig ever noticed was never important. He rarely came for the boy. Ienzo always considered that a fortunate thing, Braig was trouble. He always found him right away, always taking the boy by surprise. All the other adults Ienzo could hear coming a mile away. With their grumbling and heavy footsteps. Braig just appeared. Ienzo never heard or saw which direction he came. 

He couldn't help but wonder if the man had magic, too.

Even so, daytime was the worst to wander. Daytime was too easy for them to be aware. But it was when Ienzo felt the most trapped. Daytime was full of noise, scratching pencils and loud arguments in the upper labs, and full of people he didn't care for. Strangers that would give a supposed lost boy a second look and try to grab him. And while this world was very beautiful in the shining sun, with its abundance of flowers blooming all over, it had another type of beauty at night. Night time brought quiet. It brought the shining stars in the sky and a calm that Ienzo craved. 

When the sky turned dark and the young boy was sure all in the castle were asleep, he'd make his move. Quietly, he made his way out of his room and down the long and much too large halls of the castle. Sometimes Ienzo wondered what lived in here before Ansem the Wise. Before Radiant Garden got its name... It couldn't have been humans. This structure was much too big for them. Maybe giants. That would explain Aeleus thought the boy. The man's stature made him a giant, even among the already too tall residents of the world. 

Ienzo would sometimes wonder if he was from this world proper. He felt too small. Too quiet. Too listless.

But that couldn't be possible, he thought as he finally made his way outside, emerging out of a hidden door within the southern garden. Dilan knew of this one, but it was far too obvious to sneak into. Sneaking out of was another story. He looked around for signs of those two boys before he moved again, towards the wall. There was a ladder that reached to the top, an easy way for the guards to move around and do a quick visual sweep of the world outside of the castle. Ienzo looked up at the stars as he climbed. Slowly, rung by rung. 

No, he couldn't be from anywhere else. Even if he couldn't remember much before coming here- Even often talked of an injury he had on his right temple- he had to be from this world. They didn't know getting to the other Worlds was possible until recent. That boy had to have come from another world, right? 

But, how. How did they get here?

This World had stories, yes, but not the means to make a myth reality. 

Ienzo pulled himself up onto the wall, steadying his feet for a moment before he started walking again. From South to East. It was a long walk, but it gave Ienzo a good look at the World they were on. From the sleepy buildings with their blood red roofs, to the tall forest that separated some of the sectors of the town. He could hear the rushing waters of the fountains as he passed by them, just out of reach from the plants that were crawling up the walls and attempting to take over. 

On the far east he could sit, out of view from anyone else that could be up at this hour. Ienzo could look out on the calm waters that surrounded this not-quite island. Seeing the floating gardens that welcomed the rare trading boat. Occasionally he'd see a splash as a fish snapped at the bugs that tread the water's surface. While the humans slept, the world continued on as it should. It was a comfort, knowing that when they were all gone, this World would always go on.

It was a thought someone so young shouldn't have. But Ienzo's thoughts often drifted to how fragile he was. How quickly a human life could be snuffed out, with everyone moving on around it. He was proof of that. His parents were presumed dead, and he was placed in the care of someone else. Expected to continue living and grow up without them. 

He lost track of how long he sat on that wall, staring at nothing and everything while he thought. The air was cool and he kept his knees pulled close to conserve warmth. Every breath let out a small puff of vapor. Maybe he should have grabbed that too big coat? Far too late now. He took a deep breath, enjoying the way the chilled air filled his lungs. It stung, but it filled his nose with the scents of the night. The air was crisp, and the smell of the water around them was strong. The start of decay in the leaves was on the slight wind, as well as the lingering smoke and ash from nearby chimneys. Autumn was around the corner. Another turn in the wheel.

“Got pretty far this time, didn' ya?”

Ienzo would have jumped if it wasn't for the heavy hand that rested on his shoulder. He looked up at the man that caught him, eyes wide. When did Braig get here? He would have heard him!

Braig didn't look mad. In fact, the man looked more amused than anything. Here was the King's ward, all the way out on a border patrol wall, by himself. The poor thing looked like a scared mouse caught in a trap. But Braig wasn't going to let him go, he knew that Ienzo would run. He was a tiny thing, but he was fast when he wished to be. 

“You know you're not suppose to leave the castle unsupervised.” Braig knew he knew he wasn't suppose to leave at all. Especially at night, when anything could happen. Honestly, they had all hoped that the scare in the courtyard with those creatures would have curbed the boy's urge to run away. Obviously that wasn't the case, as he was getting more bold with his attempts. 

The grip on the small boy's shoulder was adjusted slightly as Braig lowered himself to sit down next to him. He wasn't letting go, but he'd be on his level. “It's a nice spot, but not too great for hiding.” But he could see the point wasn't to hide. Not really. If Ienzo wanted to hide and not be found, then he would be in a better spot. Braig and Xehanort had found the boy in the most impossible spots before. Braig knew the boy well, and Xehanort seemed to have a knack for thinking of where an upset child would go. 

Ienzo frowned up at him, still not saying a word. Braig chuckled, use to that little pout. He was cranky he was caught. Cranky that it was him and not the big one that found him. Braig knew he wasn't the favorite, and that was fine.

“They're going to worry when they wake up and you're not in your room.” 

Ienzo looked away from him, shaking his head. He didn't want to go back, not yet! His little fingers twitched, tapping at the cold stone below him. He could talk, when he wanted. But he did it so rarely that he was finding it difficult to find the words he wanted to say. Why he couldn't-

“It's okay, little dude. We don't have to go back just yet.” 

Ienzo blinked, looking back up at him. Did he hear him right?

“Or did you want to go?”

Another head shake and small hands tugging at his jacket. Just a few more minutes. It was so calm. 

“Okay, okay.” The hand finally lifted up from his shoulder to the top of Ienzo's head to still him. Maybe ruffle that hair, mess up the part Even tried so hard to keep neat. He stared down at the one bright blue eye that wasn't hidden by his hair. Sometimes it was so familiar. “I get it.” 

Braig took a breath, content when he heard Ienzo do the same. Good, he was calming down. He was slowly realizing that he wasn't in trouble. Yet. He watched the boy settle down once more, looking back out at the waters. At the edge of the cliffs that seemed to surround them on all sides. Like they were in a crater.

Braig looked towards the horizon, seeing the deep purples and blues of the night sky start to shift. The sun would be coming up. How long had the boy been out here? 

“You're very lucky it was Xehanort that noticed you were gone.” He said, not looking down. He didn't need to look at Ienzo to see the look of surprise and doubt. Why would Xehanort check on him? “He's got a weird tick he has. I'll catch him, walking in the middle of the night. Making sure everyone's breathing. I wonder if it's a habit he doesn't realize he remembers.” 

Ienzo looked down. Xehanort also couldn't remember anything from before the castle. Only his name. A habit like that... Did Xehanort have siblings? He adjusted to living with many people fast. He wasn't too old, he couldn't have had kids yet. 

“I was getting coffee for my evening round, and he got me,” continued Braig. Why Xehanort didn't wake Even or Ansem was in the back of Ienzo's mind. But if Braig was already awake... Xehanort must have heard him in the kitchens. 

Braig could still see that Ienzo's body language was closed off. He was stiff, holding his knees closer so he could be smaller. He knew he couldn't run away, but he could close Braig off completely. That wasn't going to work out. Braig could just easily pick the boy up, but he didn't feel like getting punched by those tiny fists. His face was still sore and healing. His undamaged eye looked from the sky to the boy, then back to the sky again. 

“I'll cut you a deal,” he began, knowing Ienzo was listening. “We'll stay out here until the sun rises. Then we go back home-- to the castle.” Braig mentally smacked himself for that one. Calling the castle home always seemed to upset the boy. It was understandable. He was young, and new to life there. 

As much as Ansem and Even tried to make him comfortable, to teach him and prepare him for the future they saw for him... Ienzo seemed to resist every step. Ienzo clearly adored the two men, and followed them around like a baby duckling when allowed. But something in his heart made him waver. Braig could see that even now. 

“Hey now, I get it.” 

There was that phrase again. Ienzo seemed to doubt that Braig understood. But he didn't question it. He'd let the man believe whatever lie he spoke into existence. 

Gold and blue looked out again, watching the colors slowly turn. A pale blue appeared at the very bottom edge. Clouds would become more defined as the light of the sun just barely started to peek out. 

Ienzo felt himself more at peace as he watched the sun rise. Hearing the birds start to chirp before the light was even visible, feeling a little bit more warmth. Not quite enough to be comfortable, but enough for Ienzo to relax and stop locking himself up. 

Braig felt the boy shift beside him, patting his head once more. He never did let go. “Pretty, ain't it?” He asked, keeping his eye on the mix of colors that painted the skies in front of them. On the stars that were slowly fading from view. “No where near as beautiful as the sunrises from my own world, but it's pretty damn close.” 

Ienzo looked up at that statement, staring at Braig. This pulled a laugh at the older man, such a serious look!

“Yeah, yeah. Don't go blabbing it to everyone. But I ain't quite from these parts, y'know?” Braig grinned down at the boy, holding a single finger up to his lips. “As if I need to tell you to be quiet, eh?” A little tease where it was earned. Ienzo was a very quiet boy. 

But Braig knew how to listen to him without ever hearing a word. 

“Where I'm from the sunrises were the most beautiful across the Star Ocean.” He lifted his other hand up, gesturing to the last few stars they could see. “My town was known for it. The beginning of a new day was so special to us. It was proof we were alive. Proof yesterday happened, that tomorrow was a promise.” He let that hand drop to his side, his other moving from Ienzo's head back to his shoulder. He smiled a bit as he felt the boy scoot closer. 

If he had to listen to the man talk he might as well steal his warmth. Ienzo let him continue, enjoying the precious minutes he was gaining from letting an old man go down memory lane. Ienzo's quiet was ruined, but he didn't seem to mind just one voice speaking. He was outside, he had space. He seemed content enough. 

Braig described a World so similar to Radiant Garden. Ienzo was sure he never actually left Gardens at all. The tweaks were slight and it seemed too perfect, that Braig would leave somewhere just to end up in a land almost identical. But there were some details, that Ienzo couldn't quite focus on, that stood out just enough. How tall was that clock tower again?

Ienzo closed his eye as he listened, letting the image come alive in his mind. The rays of the sun felt different. The smell of the flowers belong to different species that were rare on their world. Slowly, Braig's voice was blending in with the sound of the birds and the waves that lapped at the edge of the world. Of the hums and voices rising in the air as the earliest of risers started to wake. Ienzo could smell fires starting once more. The bakery was getting ready for its day. For a moment he thought he heard kids shouting, but it was far too early for them.

Braig was still talking. What did he say? “Y'know, you remind me of him.” Of who? He couldn't bring himself to listen to the words he was saying. His tiny body was overriding his want to stay awake. 

“Maybe one day I'll bring it back and show you.” 

It was said so softly, Ienzo wasn't quite sure he heard it at all. 

Braig felt Ienzo lean against him and waited for a few seconds. The breathing was slow and steady. He fell asleep. The illusion that had been summoned around them faded into reality. The man let out a slow, shaky breath as he watched a memory dissolve. This kid was trouble, using his magic like that without realizing it.

He looked down at the sleeping boy, gently fussing with the hair in his face. That was the ultimate test if he was asleep or not. As he almost moved it out of the way, he paused. No slap, no flinch or cowering away. He was out like a light. Carefully, he scooped the tyke into his arms, standing up with ease on the wall. Only a few steps to see if anyone could see them where they were before he let the air and space warp around both of them. 

He walked right out of the void he summoned, laying Ienzo down into his own bed. He tucked him in, gently ruffling his hair, before stepping back through his own portal to return to the post he should have been at. No one else needed to know he got out of bed or what was said.

He really was getting too soft on the kid.

**Author's Note:**

> This was an urge and is only loosely based on rp interactions. And I Just moved so I had nothing to do while I had no internet. This almost feels like it could be the start of a 'happy memories' thing, and I might make it that. Or I'll leave it as a oneshot and just make a connecting series. Maybe.


End file.
